Fluorescent lamp with filter coating of a mixture of tio2 and sb2o3



NDV. 17, 1970 us 1', s pos E'I'AL 3,541,376 FLUORESCENT LAMP WITH FILTER COATING OF A MIXTURE OF T10 AND Sb2O Filed Nov. 13, 1968 UNCOATED COATE D 360 4'00 440 480 5'20 560 oo e40 660 NANOMETERS FIG. 2

WILLY P. SCHREURS TADIUS T. SADOSKI IN ENTORS BYQT/ A TORN United States Patent O 3,541,376 FLUORESCENT LAMP WITH FILTER COATING OF A MIXTURE OF TiO AND Sb O Tatlius T. Sadoski, Salem, and Willy P. Schreurs, Danvers,

Mass., assignors to Sylvania Electric Products Inc., a

corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 13, 1968, Ser. No. 775,264 Int. Cl. H011 1/62, 63/04 US. Cl. 313-109 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fluorescent lamp with a coating of a mixture of TiO and Sb O disposed upon the glass. The Ti layer filters unwanted ultraviolet radiation in the 3000 to 4000 A. region and reduces the emission of this light from the lamp. The 813 0 additions reduce the starting voltage of the lamp which is increased due to the TiO coating.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to fluorescent lamps and particularly to those which will be used for applications where ultraviolet emission in the 3000 to 4000 A. region is undesirable. Radiation in the 3000 to 4000 A. region tends to degrade plastics and can fade fabric colors due to photochemical reactions.

Summary of the prior art In the past, it has been known to dispose TiO as a coating upon the inner surface of glass envelopes. For example, the United States patent to Ray, No. 3,141,990 discloses a coating of Ti0 to serve as a barrier between a sodalime glass envelope and the mercury in the envelope. The coating prevents sodium in the glass from reacting with the mercury to produce an amalgam which would form a dark layer and reduce the transmission, thereby reducing the luminosity of the lamp.

Moreover, Sb O has been used in conjunction with lamps. For example, the United States patent to Gungle, No. 3,094,641 discloses the addition of Sb O to a sodalime glass envelope to prevent the reduction of luminosity in the lamp due to amalgam formation. Apparently, the Sb O ties up the sodium atoms and reduces their migration to the surface. Since less sodium atoms are exposed to the mercury, amalgam formation is reduced.

In the United States patent to Menelly, No. 3,379,917, the use of a reflective coating of TiO' with less than 1% of Sb O is disclosed. The Ti0 layer is quite thick and serves as a reflector for light emitted from the lamp. The Sb O improves the light output and maintenance of the 3,541,376 Patented Nov. 17, 1970 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, we have discovered that when a transparent layer of TiO is disposed on a glass envelope, as is done to prevent emission of deleterious ultraviolet radiation in the 3000 to 4000 A. region, that the starting voltage of the lamp tends to rise. The rise appears to be due to a photochemical reaction between the TiO- and the mercury present in the lamp. The reaction begins to appear after 50 hours of burning time and by 100- hours it becomes impossible to starta rapid start-type lamp on commercial ballasts. We have now found that these increases can be overcome by adding particulate Sb O to the TiO filter coat. Quantities in the range of 2 to 5 percent by weight of Ti0 appear to be generally useful. Above these quantities, the visible light is filtered by the Ti0 coating and below, the increased starting voltages are not overcome. Preferably, quantities in the range of 2.0 to 2.5 percent by weight are highly advantageous in attaining our objectives.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a lamp according to this invention.

FIG. 2 is a spectral energy distribution curve showing the emitted energy of fluorescent lamps containing the Ti0 layer and ones which do not.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, the lamp 1 has a sealed, hollow, glass tube 2 containing a filling of argon and 15% helium (although other suitable gas fillings may be used). On the inside surface of the glass envelope there is a coating 4 of the phosphor which may be, for example, any suitable fluorescent lamp phosphor. The coating 3 of TiO: and Sb O is disposed directly upon the glass and beneath the phosphor. The coating is transparent and generally less than one micron thick.

At each end of the glass tube 1 there is a conventional electrode comprising an oxide-coated tungsten coil 7 and support and lead-in wires 10 and 11, as shown, for example, in United States Patent No. 2,961,566 of John F. Waymouth et al. for a Fluorescent Lamp. The usual insulating plastic base 12, carrying contacts 14, 15, can be shown, for example, iii United States Patent No. 2,896,187, issued July 21, 1959 to R. B. Thomas and S. C. Shappell, for a Lamp Base, or some other suitable base can be used.

As described in the following Table I, the addition of TiO layer to the lamp does not produce any substantial reduction in luminosity during life. The luminosity at 300 hrs., for example, is substantially the same whether or not a Ti0 coating is used. The starting voltages of the examples without Sb O 0.5% Sb 0 or 1.0% Sb 0 are l 55 substantially above those in the 2% and above range.

TABLE I Control, TiOz and Ti02+0.5% TlOz-l-l.0% TiOg+2.0% no filter NoSbaO SbgOa SbzOa S O;

hours burning time:

Peak starting voltage 210 N.S. 1 490 461 285 Brightness (lumens) 3, 270 3, 244 3, 229 3, 238 300 hours burning time:

Peak starting voltage 228 N.S. l 380 282 250 Brightness (lnmens)' 3, 194 3, 137 3, 144 3, 117 3000 hours burning time:

Peak starting voltage 232 N.S 1 280 280 255 Brightness (lumens) 2, 985 (2) 2, 947 2, 961

1 N.S.would not start at 900 volts.

2 Not determined.

- In FIG. 2, the spectral energy distribution is shown and compared to a lamp containing a TiO filter coat. As seen, without the T102 coating, there is a sharp peak emitted at 360 nm. region while this peak is substantially absent in the coated lamp. Thus, the longer wave length the ultraviolet light is filtered while no substantial reduction in luminosity is evidenced.

, Preferably, the TiO, which is used has a particle size less than about 0.05, and the coating thickness is less than about 0.5;. As shown in Table II, when increasing quantities of TiO: are disposed on the lamp envelope (the gms. of TiO, is indicative of the thickness) no substantial reduction in luminosity is indicated. The 366 nm. UV line was almost eliminated, however.

It is apparent that modifications and changes may be made within the spirit and scope of the instant invention. It is our intention, however, only to be limited by the scope of the appended claims.

As our invention, we claim: a

1. A fluorescent lamp including a glass envelope, mercury and means to produce an electrical discharge within said envelope; a fluorescent phosphor enclosed within said envelope and a light transmitting, ultraviolet filtering layer, less than about 1 micron thick, of an admixture of TiO; and Sb O disposed upon the inner surface of said glass envelope to filter long wave length, ultraviolet light emitted by said electrical discharge and reduce starting voltages.

' 2. The lamp according to claim 1 wherein said Sb O is present in quantities between about 2 to 5 Weight percent of said TiO A 3. The lamp according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the Ti0 has a particle size less than about 0.05 micron.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,607,014 8/1952 Roy et al.- 313-109 3,094,641 6/ 1963 Gungle et al. 313-109 3,141,990 7/ 1964 Ray 313-409 X 3,379,917 4/1968 Menelly ..i 313109 7 JAMES W. LAWRENCE, Primary Examiner D. OREILLY, Assistant Examiner 

